Retired Indian Navy Veteran Missing for Over 40 Days: Search Intensifies
Navin Chandra Upadhyay, an 85-year-old retired officer of the Indian Navy and a veteran of the 1971 war, has been missing for over 40 days, leading to widespread concern in northern India. Upadhyay vanished while on a journey from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh to Delhi on June 11, and since then, there have been no sightings of him.
Surveillance footage corroborates his presence in Chandigarh, where he was seen at the Sector-43 and Sector-17 bus stands. He was last observed boarding a bus heading toward Delhi, yet he never arrived. His last known whereabouts suggest he might have been deboarded near the Singhpura bus stand in Zirakpur, according to eyewitness accounts.
The search for Upadhyay is complicated due to the absence of a mobile phone, money, or any identification documents. His daughter, Monica Sharma, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, has been spearheading the family’s search efforts through regions of Punjab and Haryana. Despite extensive searches in Chandigarh, Ambala, Zirakpur, and Karnal, no concrete leads have emerged.
Faced with limited progress from local law enforcement, Monica has taken the matter to the Haryana Director General of Police. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the State Crime Branch. Officer Rajesh Kumar has stated that photographs of Upadhyay have been disseminated to police stations and old-age homes throughout the area.
The authorities have made a public appeal, urging anyone with information or who sees an elderly man who may appear confused to contact the nearest police station or call 112. The family continues to hold onto hope for his safe return.
